


The Oracle Gave Us the Cheat Sheet

by QueenOfGathering



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Gen, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Siblings, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-02-29 11:12:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18777109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenOfGathering/pseuds/QueenOfGathering
Summary: Siblings look out for each other, right? Even telling the other if he or she is making a dumbass decision.





	The Oracle Gave Us the Cheat Sheet

“I think if someone else took it, he would not be able to live with himself.” I start, as I sat on the stairs of the patio. Steve glares pass me, and his eyes watery. Pepper who was sitting one step below me, stood up and went to where Morgan is.

With Uncle Happy talking about getting cheeseburgers. I would kill for a Burger King right now.

I remembered Tony’s pain-stricken expression few years before, as he recalled his nightmare since Wanda shackle it loose and it got rampant in his head. “It would mean his downfall, because his nightmare is coming true.”

Stephen Strange looks away, as the others solemnly grief underneath the breeze of that particular fall. It was a somber ceremony, and the last thing I need is to dwell on this. Tony would love to put the fun in funeral, I’d be happy to comply with several party favors. Yet, I don’t think I have the will to smile without spontaneously combust to anger. Dad, mom, and now Tony left me because somehow the world needs saving. Yeah, sure... save the universe for the betterment of mankind, doing the one true selfless act, you're a hero. You got your monuments, _whatever._

I pushed myself upwards, straighten up my quantum suit. Petting the briefcase, swinging it and almost causing Rhodey to momentarily lose his mind. “Bye, y’all. I’m going to return some pebbles and get back to ‘ya. Monguna, save one cheeseburger for me yeah?”

She shyly nodded as her tiny hands play with her hair. God, she look so much like her dad. But her dad is dead, and I hate him.

It took two seconds to put all the infinity stone to its respected timelines. So I figured… why not do this? I wasn’t in on the battle, and I didn’t get to see him before it went down.

So I go to when before it happens.

He stumbles off his chair, the equation works. “Shit.” Tony shocked. Few seconds later, he heard Morgan’s imitating his word. Tony turns around and saw the little girl, with her favorite aunt sitting next to her on one of the flight of stairs.

“And I thought I’d be the one to teach her the first curse word.” I smiled and playfully pinched Morgan’s cheeks. The giggling little girl slowly slides off the stairs and sat on the floor, next to his gawking dad.

Tony quickly remarked, “Hi, nice pajamas by the way. A bit tight, isn’t it? I like onesies better.” He motioned to my quantum suit, and I subconsciously felt tighter in it. It was a suit he designed during the last mission. He was adamant to add the red along with whites, because he claimed dark colors are just too depressing.

But This Tony doesn’t need to know that.

I laughed despite Tony’s serious attempt on scavenging answers straight from me. I recalled we were in a fight at this particular timeline, and Pepper has been trying to set us up since sibling fights doesn’t naturally end with us apologizing for our mistakes.

“This is a tight onesies, Tones.” I brandish the suit to further irritate him, for the fact that I’ve been carefully choose my words in order not to accidentally spill something out.

Tony eyed me suspiciously, as he held his hand out for Morgan to reach. “Hmm, I’m just about to get blackmailed for some cereal. Would you, like to join us?”

“Sure, I got time.” I shrugged and followed both of them to the kitchen. Settling myself next to Morgan, we watched Tony pouring cereals on. In silence. If it weren’t the fact that we’re midnight-snacking, this would be fucking weird.

I know how he loves to be the center of attention, but even I sense he felt slightly weirded out for being watched. Especially from two people who knows better than to give him the spotlight. Morgan has a bit of Pepper’s modesty strand on her but still, she loves the attention as well. Breaking the ever-growing silence, Tony initiated. “What’s with the get-up?”

“You just finished the time travel equation, you tell me.” I took the warm milk Tony gave me, and slowly sipping it. Our eyes still interlocked and I playfully raised my eyebrows before he made a knowing, incredulous look. Seconds later, Tony belted out the most heart-warming laugh I’ve ever heard. Even back at my original timeline, I never fully hear him this way. The only thing I can muster is the widest, most wholehearted smile and it prompted Morgan to giggle despite not knowing what the conversation is about.

“Let me guess… we got screwed, didn’t we?”

I tried so hard to form the most solid poker face in my power, but he narrowed his eyes and I grunted in return. He always use that tactic since we were kids, so I took the time to put my hands on either side of Morgan’s ears and goes, “Such is life, Tony. Sucks and will fucks you in the ass.”

Tony threw slow glances at my direction and almost scared to ask me, “Do I want to know how it ends?”

I huffed, how do I phrase this? Just straightforwardly went the whole nine yards? Or do I work in riddles? Then I try to formulate the best response to this and goes, “Well… it ends with my most adorably genius niece—“Tony flinches, and I can’t bear to see his expression any longer. “And her most awesome, if not beautiful aunt munching on some Burger King.” I looked at Morgan with her childish grin as she gulping down her midnight meal.

Unknowingly felt heartache as I finally brace myself to look at Tony in the eye. He witness my distress and wiped the tears off my face, as I rest my head on his palm. “So, you really, really love me that much huh?”

“Quit stretching your luck, and I might not.”

“Oh, no. No take-backs on this one.”

After Tony tucked Morgan back to sleep, I anxiously awaited by the schematics of the time travel equation. Exchanging banters with FRIDAY before Tony swooped in and goes, “Still don’t want to tell me?” He continues, “Do I have to beg? Do I have to blackmail you too?”

“Tony—“

Tony stood next to me, and I dare not to return his pleas. “Because you’re here means something terrible happens, obviously. You’re too stuck-up to show up at my door, and now you’re suddenly glued to me like when we’re kids.”

I want to strangle him, seriously yet only exasperated sigh follows. “That kind of bullshit won’t work, Tones. I really just want to visit you, that’s all.” Being the bigger person works in this narrative. I knew he just wants to rile me up in order for me to spill it mid-argument, because I always lost to him in debates.

“Visit, huh? How fucking considerate, and where are you visiting from exactly? Because apparently—“He motioned the whole quantum suit thing again, “If you’re joking, I swear to god—“

I would immediately regret this, I knew it. “You’re going to give Steve his shield back. Heart eyes all over again.”

Tony looked surprised, as if I read his mind. Then he quipped, “You’re the one who talk. Heart eyes with Rogers are your thing.”

“Get the fuck off my life.” Almost made Tony brother-in-law with Steve was one of the weirdest fucking occurrence that’s ever happen to our family. That relationship was too quick, a bit volatile, and downright nasty that Tony has to literally executive ordering us to pump the breaks.

Tony gestured to stop that topic and insisted, “I don’t keep the shield anymore.”

Meanwhile, I stare back at him not buying his bullshit, “It’s at the back of your car, with Morgan’s toys. You’re going to give it to him, and be sure to give it after their failed attempt to time travel in Scott’s quantum generator.” Tony’s eyes widen and told me to slow down.

I babbled, “Give or take, ten or eleven-ish in the morning, tomorrow.”

Tony took a long look as he slumped to one of the chairs near the schematics, almost too shook by this stream of information. “A lot of information, first of all. I just want riddles, not an actual walkthrough.”

Involuntarily I rolled my eyes so far back that it hurts a bit. “When did that ever stop you?”

Tony finally looks at me and goes, “Anything else?” I walked towards where he sat, gently poke the side of his shoulder.

“Don’t leave me.”

“I’m still here.”

I affectionately pat Tony’s head, “You know what I mean, you moron.” Few minutes later, I took another chair and sat across him as I am about to riddle the shit out of this, “Family comes first, Tony. There will be times when you want to do anything to spare them from harm—”

“I don’t like where this is going—“

“I just want to say—“

“Better not get mushy on me—“

“I’m letting you go.” I stood up and kiss him on the cheeks. This caught Tony by surprise as he sat still and felt my tears on his face. He grabbed my arm, and we hugged.

Tony seemed to be deep in thought as I said my goodbyes to him on the front lawn of his house. As I press the button by my grasp and went back to the quantum realm, my mind rushes.

What have I done?

What have I _undone_?

I went back to my original timeline, with Bruce let out choked cry right as I saw his face. There I saw Bucky, Sam, and at the end of the lawn I saw Steve. He looked tired and distraught, as if somebody sucked the life out of him. Despite his general demeanor of keeping distance with me, he leaked part of himself more than he let on.

Then, I slowly approach him and said, “Who died and made you Captain?” He slowly turn his gaze to me and pulled away, disbelief expression stamped hard on his face. With shaky breaths he goes, "Never thought I’d see you again, after we exchanged our vows." Excuse me, what was that now? I slowly drift the attention to my ring finger and fucking surprise, surprise. White band of emerald, medium rock. Classy.

“Too early, honey. We’re still at a funeral—”

I changed nothing. I come to terms that alternate universes are just too complicated and changing one thing in the past consequently rippling a new universe. What I did changes nothing, and I am about to throw these hands, at Tony's casket. Why did I think, that talking to that dense motherfucker would somehow tweaked his fucking selfless act? Why would I wish myself hope that talking in easy riddles to my own brother would magically make him un-dead?

“I thought I let you go?”

I turn to my left and saw Tony who in turn has this incredibly solemn almost heartbreaking look in his eyes. Shuddered and completely overwhelmed, I went for the most smothering, embarrassing, bone-crushing hug. Few seconds later, I pulled back and cupped his face before slapped him to make sure he’s not an imagination.

Okay, he’s real.

“Which timeline are you from?” Tony grabbed my forearms, shaking me out of my excitement. It seems that the whole ordeal was millennia ago, that I found trouble spelling out the fact that I'd been at Tony and Natasha's funeral before returning the stones. What else have I _done_? As painfully as I can power through, I saw Natasha sharing laughs with Bucky and she caught my eye. We exchanged glances and she threw a shocked expression towards me. There's still somebody that has to be sacrificed in order for us to get the soul stone, I thought the Red Skull made it abundantly clear.

“We’re still at a funeral?”

Tony seemed distant, incredibly off vibe oozing out of him. Out of everyone, in fact. He steadily walks to me, trying to make sense of the situation whilst stated, “Yes, yours.”

\--

I clench my chest close as if my heart is about to leap out of it. Every pair of eyes scanning my person, making sure that this isn’t some collective fever dream they’re experiencing. “Come again, you’re saying I have _passed on_?”

A bit cerebral, to actually say I’m deader than my soul in this timeline. Slightly fucked up, truthfully. I gathered from the aghast even some astonished glances come my way, they're on the same page as I am.

“We just scattered your ashes on the Potomac…” Never in my life, have I hear Steve so beaten throughout the interaction. I slowly inspect his expression further before he looked away. His hands folded into his torso, slumped shoulders and watery eyes makes him more vulnerable than that time he mistakenly stepped in a dog's tail during our walk in the park.

“Tony, we talked about this. I want to be cremated, sure. But, keep my fucking ashes close for possible scientific cloning protocol.” I feign mocking hurt through my tone, and Tony in turn let out breathy laugh despite tears welling up in his eyes.

Tony wiped his tears before it streams down his cheeks, way to keep his cool despite his sorrowful composure around me. His voice remained abiding as I witness his camouflaged distress. “I offered, but you refused. You said your ashes are better on Potomac because of Capsicle.”

“I guess I volunteered for the soul stone?” Dare I asked Tony how it happened but it had to be done.

“Both of us went to Vormir, and you being an idiot—“ Tony ganging up on me, his brows furrowing and continued in higher tone, “—throw yourself off the…”

“I get it.” I reciprocate the animosity and sat down next to Steve, who unknowingly switch his sight from my side-profile down to the ring on my finger. On another note, how the hell did I get myself hitched? Possibly, I was mad-in-love enough to say _yes, a thousand times yes_ to one Steven Grant Rogers. Well, I almost said it in my own timeline if it weren't for Iron-Cockblock-Man over here. He said and I quote, " _No way in hell I'd give my permission to a 95-year-old hypocritical liar."_

Steve had his doing in making sure I said no, anyway.

It was during the fallout Tony had with Steve. It seems the cold barely holds onto the suits and I didn’t feel much of the Siberian weather anymore. After many fight I tolerate between Tony with James and Steve, this takes the whole goddamn buffet. I never knew so much of the man I shared my life with, and I thought I’d be fine with it. Until Zemo brought open the Pandora box Steve tried so hard to conceal, even from me. But mostly, what he hid from Tony.

I saw that glimpse of disbelief, escaping every drip of Tony’s tone. He felt as though the man stood in front of him wasn’t real. That this Steve would not let him live this lie. Through gritted teeth he demanded, “Don’t bullshit me, Rogers. Did you know?” About the parents we thought left us simply because God was in playful mood?

“Yes.” Was all Steve had to muster? Tony backed away from him completely, pulled his arm from Steve’s grip. My stomach churned at his expression, as if the whole world fell on him, twice. I couldn’t bear to look at Rogers, how could he do this to him? I don’t know what to believe. James was a victim, sure. He was under HYDRA for so long, it takes ten sentences to put him on a murderous trance. But Steve? I believe it was a hard pill to swallow, does it pained Steve to tell us this way? That Mom and Dad died at the hands of Bucky?

I cried, “Steve, how could you—” Steve tried to drew me closer when he looked at me, but I pulled back and had tears streaming down my cheeks. Under quivery breaths, I looked at Tony and nodded to him apologetically. Steve tried to reach me once again but I shook my head, palms folded deep enough to turn my knuckles white.

“I’m sorry, but we can’t.” The tears sting my cheeks, and I almost went into him but I stood behind Tony instead. I felt Steve’s eyes darkened on me, and I almost scared to look at him. Tony extends his arms in front of me as we stood and geared in our suits from what is coming to us. I could hear FRIDAY calculating Steve’s attack patterns underneath the whirring comm. I’ve never faced such uncertainty in any battle, until then.

But it's in my universe, and This Steve doesn't need to know that.

“So, how do I get back? I ran out of Pym Particle.” I turn my gaze to Bruce, who was in deep thought long enough for him to startle after I called his name. Hell, I'd ask Tony since he has the smartest brain in the bunch (Don't tell him I said that) But he stood there staring at me intently, before pacing back and forth like a chicken with its head cut off. There are many reasons why I should go back, mainly since: (1) I don't belong in this universe; (2) I have no recollection of getting married to Steve in another multiverse; and (3) I am already gone here so imagine how grief-stricken Tony looked when he saw his own daughter leaping towards her apparently-resurrected aunt, claiming that she came back and won't leave them again.

Tony dragged me off the lawn, into the garage and bitterly mouthed, “She visited me after I found the Mobius strip, that's you?” I nodded and he interrogated then, “Wow, there's another version of you with the same amount of dumb energy.” This was invitation enough for me to hand Tony a remorseful gander, I fucking miss him. Whatever we were fighting about, I will take the blame and lose a thousand times. Just give me my brother back. I cupped his face again and tears streaming down without any hint of stopping. Meanwhile, Tony whose eyes widen had his breath hitched in his throat.

“You left me alone, Tony—”

“You left _me,_ alone. That doesn't make it right for you to come when I already make my peace!” Hearing him with such outrage rendered me teary-eyed, because his voice was temperate enough to break my heart to pieces. My lips parted, gasping for air since I repressed my sob and tried so hard not turning it into a weeping fest. I slowly shook my head and imperceptibly stunned that I had the audacity to ask, “What happened in Vormir?”

Tony marches on without hearing my plea of explanation, “You wanna know what you—other you—did in Vormir?” Tony, hitting his boiling point started to jab his finger right in front of my face. It's difficult enough to move passed loss, and now I have to make him re-tell the whole scenario. Talk about putting generous amount of salt to his wounds while he rambled on, “She—you—I lost you, you took my arc reactor when you fell so I can't catch you. Real nifty. I remember, we argue for a while on who's deader on the inside, it's still _me_ by the way.”

As Tony took a seat near his worktable, he bury his face in his hands and groaned. I took another chair and faced him while I wait for his narrative to come rolling out of his tongue. Finally he morosely slammed me with, "I'm done running my mouth while you ignore the shit out of it.” At this point, I am not entirely convinced I heard that correctly. I tried to hold Tony's forearms to reassure him to take his time but he retracted his body entirely and come up with something far spiteful than I could ever imagine, “My sister's gone—go back to where you came from.” Tony tossed me the Pym Particle he had somewhere in his garage, avoiding my gaze.

“Fuck you.” I stood up, eyebrows arched down and jaw clenched forward. Few seconds later, I stormed out of the garage and into the now-deserted lawn. There I sat by the lake, sobbing.

Out of nowhere, Pepper sat next to me by that lake. Her eyes stare into the serene lake while noticing bouquet of daisies Morgan put for my remembrance-slash-memorial. After all, this is still a funeral. “What did he do now?” Without mentioning the culprit, Pepper asked. I broke down  after spending quite awhile containing the floodgates. “I didn't mean to come here, Pep.” Pepper sighs and lend her ears for me to whine on, and I spill with utmost transparency and candor about the event that transpires in my timeline to the point of Tony's funeral.

After the whole discourse, Pepper positioned herself across me and fixed her stern expression yet only soft tones I hear coming out of her, “You know, we did use the stones and snap Thanos out of existence. After Tony saw the effect it had on Bruce, he build a better version of the suit to stabilize the radiation. Called it Rescue.” She brandished a lopsided smile and I laughed through my tears until I cough to every breathing movement.

“Well, I stand corrected. You really _are_ the one who wear the pants in this house.”

\--

As Bruce preparing the quantum generator, I stood next to Pepper and taking the sights above that particular spot, west of the house. It was a particularly breezy spring and my legs were twitching, hogged as the suit engulfs me. I took refuge inside the house before, while Bruce was tinkering with the generator. He indicates that the generator was not his toy and Tony is better equipped to meddle with the gizmo, but I told Bruce that Tony doesn't want anything to do with me. My brother doesn't want to see me. I knew the moment I pull up a fast one on how to deal with Thanos was a mistake, but I just—

“Don't leave me.” To think I wouldn't shed another fucking tears would be an understatement. My mind is in distress and I felt the numbing headache from all the crying, but there Tony was. To only hug him would not suffice, but it'll do. Tony's strangled voice breaks off the silence, “That's what I said, in Vormir. You know me and I don't cave for just anybody.”

Pepper had told me that it was predetermined apparently. That Other Me had asked Nebula how to get the soul stone and clearly was set in her mind that she had to take the fall. It had caught her by surprise that Tony was the one assigned to go to Vormir with her. I figured it would loosen the pain to know This Tony didn't witness his sister's death firsthand but this universe just love to fuck shit up.

The only thing I can think of was, “I'm still here...” And I continued with, “I'm sorry you didn't get to see her one last time.” I really don't know what to feel, really. I should've just let go the moment I laid that wreath down the lake and spouting those encouraging eulogy. I should've just move on, get the stone to its respected timelines and not making walkthrough in destiny simply because I miss Tony. I knew this would break us both, knowing the other was alive yet space and time had to bend to our will for us to meet. Futile, and inherently fucked up.


End file.
